Printer-plotter and method for printing and cutting

Abstract

A printer-plotter includes first and second heads which are supported by a guide rail and are movable along a longitudinal direction of the guide rail, independently. A driving member is supported by the guide rail and configured to move along the longitudinal direction between the first head and the second head. A first connecting mechanism is configured to connect the first head to the driving member detachably. A second connecting mechanism is configured to connect the second head to the driving member detachably. The first head is connected to the driving member by the first connecting mechanism and the second head is separated from the driving member in order to make the first head operate. The second head is connected to the driving member by the second connecting mechanism and the first head is separated from the driving member in order to make the second head operate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-090534, filed Mar. 30, 2007, entitled “Printer-Plotter Apparatus.” The contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a printer-plotter and a method for printing and cutting.[0004]2. Discussion of the Background[0005]Printer is an apparatus for printing on a surface of a sheet-like medium by, for example, ejecting ink droplets from an inkjet head while moving the inkjet head in anteroposterior and lateral directions (horizontally) relative to the sheet-like medium. Plotter is an apparatus for conducting the cutting process relative to a sheet-like medium by moving a cutting head in anteroposterior and lateral directions relative to the sheet-like medium while holding a cutter of the cutting head in contact ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The present invention relates to a printer-plotter and a method for printing and cutting.

[0005]Printer is an apparatus for printing on a surface of a sheet-like medium by, for example, ejecting ink droplets from an inkjet head while moving the inkjet head in anteroposterior and lateral directions (horizontally) relative to the sheet-like medium. Plotter is an apparatus for conducting the cutting process relative to a sheet-like medium by moving a cutting head in anteroposterior and lateral directions relative to the sheet-like medium while holding a cutter of the cutting head in contact with the sheet-like medium. For moving each of the heads of these apparatuses in the anteroposterior and lateral directions relative to the sheet-like medium, there is known an arrangement in which the head is supported by a guide rail extending in the lateral direction above the medium such that the head is movable in the lateral direction along the guide rail and the sheet-like medium is fed in the anteroposterior direction. There is also known an arrangement in which the sheet-like medium is fixed and supported on a flat plate and a guide rail which supports the head movably in the lateral direction moves in the anteroposterior direction above the sheet-like medium which is fixed as mentioned above.

Problems solved by technology

For the movement, large belt driving force is required and an electric motor for driving the belt is thus required to have a large capacity, thus leading to increase in size and cost of the apparatus.

Further, since the inkjet head is connected directly to the cutting head during the printing, ink droplets ejected from the inkjet head for printing may adhere to the cutting head so that the cutting head may be contaminated.

Particularly when a solvent ink is used for printing, coatings of electric wires and harnesses for transmitting power and control signals to electric parts in the cutting head may be dissolved due to the adhesion of the solvent ink, leading to operation error of the cutting head.

It should be noted that if the coatings of the electric wires and harnesses are made of a material having ink resistance, there is a problem of high cost of production of the apparatus because such a material is expensive.

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